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Marcia Wells: A house for my grandchildren

Housing Minister Randall Mitchell presents a HDC package to a family during the key distribution ceremony yesterday.

“We’ll get a new house so we could start a new life and be happy.” Those were the words of 11-year-old Akel Alexander yesterday after his grandmother collected her allocations package from the Housing Development Corporation at a key distribution ceremony in Port-of-Spain.

Akel, who accompanied his grandmother to receive a package, which represents the final step toward home ownership, was all smiles and bouncing with energy as he spoke.

“I wish we could go there now,” the child said while holding his grandmother’s hand.

In reality, Akel and his grandmother Marcia Wells will have to wait approximately six weeks to finalise their arrangements with the T&T Mortgage Finance Company (TTMF) for the new Carlsen Field home.

For Wells, six weeks is no time at all when compared to the 20 years she has been praying and hoping for a call from the corporation, after dropping off her initial application.

“I had children then. Now I have grandchildren. In that time I maybe could have paid off for a house already but I am so elated, just so happy that this is finally happening for my family. I’ve been paying rent and the space we had was just too small for all of us so I am happy we have gotten something.”

For Wells, it also means a new start for her grandchildren away from the crime and negative influences associated with East Port-of-Spain.

She said since getting the call from HDC, her grandson had asked about the house every day.

“He would come every day and ask ‘Are we still getting the house?’ and ‘I am just so glad that soon we will be able to pack up our lives and start somewhere new.’”

Wells was among 140 people who yesterday received packages to begin their new lives in HDC housing developments in Carlsen Field, Chaguanas; Cypress Gardens, San Fernando; Fairfield, Princes Town; Oasis Greens, Chaguanas; and Testrail, D’Abadie. Members of the Protective Services were among the recipients.

This final ceremony for the year means the HDC has surpassed its target of 700 for the last three months of the year and allocated close to 1,200 houses in 2017.

Housing Minister Randall Mitchell said allocations are expected to continue in the new year.